Lost Girls Idea..

[BillyTateFan]

Was thinking about this the other day. What if they had done this: kept Sue Ann around to hang around with Blair, a Blair/Sue Ann rivalry/friendship and kept Cindy for a Cindy/Jo athletic rivalry/friendship.. Natalie and Tootie of course just do there own thing.

Not sure about Nancy, maybe keep her as a recurring character somehow and as for Molly she went on to other things anyway..

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by BillyTateFan

Was thinking about this the other day. What if they had done this: kept Sue Ann around to hang around with Blair, a Blair/Sue Ann rivalry/friendship and kept Cindy for a Cindy/Jo athletic rivalry/friendship.. Natalie and Tootie of course just do there own thing.

Not sure about Nancy, maybe keep her as a recurring character somehow and as for Molly she went on to other things anyway..

They could have done that, and it would have kept Eastland feeling more like a real school, with other students being shown being there.

But this ran counter to what the producers wanted: they wanted the Core Four to form a tight bond, and to do this, they felt as though it was necessary to end the girls' friendships with all others. They forced the Core Four to live together, disallowing any other relationships (other than, briefly, Blair's relationship with her cousin Geri). Tootie even briefly attempts to make friendships with girls of her race, and finds she has nothing in common with them. Blair and Jo visit with their old friends and find that they've grown apart.

This concept that the girls couldn't have other friends lasted up to the Edibles era, where Blair and Jo are finally shown to make friends outside the Core Four.

Friendships with other girls, even on an occasional basis, would have made sense. After the middle of Season 3, we do not see the Lost Girls for many years. We really should have seen them in the following episodes, at the very least:

• Sue Ann in "The Four Musketeers" (surely Blair would have returned to rooming with Sue Ann), "Best Sister parts 1 and 2" (it was conservative Sue Ann who should have announced she was becoming a nun); and "Graduation part 2";
• Molly in "Pretty Babies", "Front Page" and "Read No Evil" (Molly was the student most involved in Journalism and photography), and also "Teacher's Pet" and "Goes to Paris";
• Nancy in "A Baby in the House" (surely Nancy would have known Allison), "Ain't Miss Beholden" (she was a scholarship student, as well), "A Royal Pain", and "Graduation part 2";
• Cindy in "Fear Strikes Back", "The Four Musketeers", "Teacher's Pet", and "Kids Can Be Cruel".

'80sSitcoms has a link in his signature where he reworks the Lost Girls into the series, and it's well worth checking out. He should have been writing for the show... but of course, he was a child at the time, so that may have played a factor!

[TV Guy]

Don’t forget Brenda! She was relegated to being friends with her rocks after just a couple of episodes.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Don’t forget Brenda! She was relegated to being friends with her rocks after just a couple of episodes.

I did specifically not include characters like Brenda, Terry, Emily, and Jenny.

The only things we know about Brenda are:

• She likes rocks
• She can't spell "Blair"
• She is adequate
• ???

...To me, she is not a fully-fledged character. With some work, she might have been. But we didn't see her much, and when we did see her, the focus was on other characters.



Terry might have had a few more lines than the others, but not by much, I don't believe.

Brenda works well as the anti-Natalie in "The Four Musketeers", being bland where Natalie is full of humor. But that type of character is difficult for the writers to insert without a great deal of difficulty. (I think the closest I've seen is Lilith on Cheers.)

[TV Guy]

Maybe they should have done a spinoff that took place at the dorm, with Sue Ann, Cindy, Nancy, Molly, Brenda, Miko, and Alex. Call it “Facts of Life II: The Castoffs.” You get introduced in an episode with the core four, and then they ship you off to the spinoff for permanent duty.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Maybe they should have done a spinoff that took place at the dorm, with Sue Ann, Cindy, Nancy, Molly, Brenda, Miko, and Alex. Call it “Facts of Life II: The Castoffs.” You get introduced in an episode with the core four, and then they ship you off to the spinoff for permanent duty.

My idea was for a spin-off called Eastland Academy. Mr. Bradley and his Lost Girls continue their adventures in the dorm. Of course, as the cafeteria is just down the campus road*, there would be plenty of crossover episodes. (Brenda, Miko, Alex, Jenny, Emily, and Terri could also make appearances, as continuity is important.)

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

My idea was for a spin-off called Eastland Academy.

Forgive me Molly Parker wherever you are, but to me that sounds more boy-ish or cop-ish with "Academy". But if you create your own show, of course you can call it whatever you want.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Forgive me Molly Parker wherever you are, but to me that sounds more boy-ish or cop-ish with "Academy". But if you create your own show, of course you can call it whatever you want.

Eastland Academy was the official name of the school, but I'm not opposed to re-titling this oh-so-clearly happening series "Eastland School" or "Eastland Days" or even "Bradley's Babes" (okay, no way Molly would accept that last title). Suggestions appreciated!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Eastland Academy was the official name of the school.

I challenge that, because that's just a fan wiki. But maybe it's "Eastland Academy for Girls"? I know we've heard "Eastland School for Girls."

I want an official claim.

[80s Dude]

There was the post that said about plans of Nancy O. getting pregnant in Season 4 if Felice was willing to return.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by BillyTateFan

Was thinking about this the other day. What if they had done this: kept Sue Ann around to hang around with Blair, a Blair/Sue Ann rivalry/friendship and kept Cindy for a Cindy/Jo athletic rivalry/friendship.. Natalie and Tootie of course just do there own thing.

Not sure about Nancy, maybe keep her as a recurring character somehow and as for Molly she went on to other things anyway..

If you wanna read a story about the 'Lost girls', you can google on the Fanfiction FOL site: there you'll find a a story i wrote, called THE REAL FACTS OF LIFE (Garret's girls) about what would have happened if NANCY, SUE ANN, CINDY and MOLLY never left 'Eatland'...

[Ian905]

I love Molly, Cindy, Sue-Ann and Nancy and understand why people wish they had been given more episodes, but I wish there was some more love for the other Eastland girls that played recurring roles. Unless I'm forgetting someone I think there's only four of them as well:

Terry, Tootie's friend who was on the track team and a member of the Jermaine Jackson Fan Club (Eastland Branch). She was in five episodes, which is the most appearances as a fellow Eastlander after the lost girls! Terry first appeared in "Who Am I?" in season 2 and last appeared in "Who's On First?" in season 4.

Alexandria, the ditzy Italian princess who was also the only Eastland girl other than the core four to attend graduation. She was in four episodes in season 4.

Brenda, Natalie's one-time roommate who introduced her to the thrill of rock hunts. She was in three episodes in seasons 3 and 4. When I rewatch them now, Brenda reminds of MTV's Daria. I think it's the glasses and monotone voice...

And Miko, the student from Japan with the major girl crush on Jo. She was in two episodes in season 3. The first time we saw her she was able to stay at Eastland after Jo promised to keep her out of trouble, but the next time we saw her she was helping Tootie sneak off to New York City and lying to Ms. Garrett. Maybe Miko's father pulled her out of Eastland after all?

(I would also like to challenge the claim that it's Eastland Academy. There was the "Bates Academy", but I think the writers were pretty consistent about calling it "The Eastland School for Girls". Which would make sense, because the name was a play off of "The Westlake School for Girls".)

['80sSitcoms]

Hi Ian!

I'm all for Terry and Brenda being around more! (but I wanna change it to "Terri")

Miko would be okay.

NO on Alexandra! (for me anyway, lol)

[Lorimar Television]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Hi Ian!

I'm all for Terry and Brenda being around more! (but I wanna change it to "Terri")

Miko would be okay.

NO on Alexandra! (for me anyway, lol)

Yes I’m used to Terry being a male and Terri a female

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Yes I’m used to Terry being a male and Terri a female

I didn't believe Retro when he said it was "Terry". A year or two ago I thought, "Retro, that's the male Terry! You mean 'Terri'." Then I checked the credits and I was like: